Life, 1929-08-16 · page 36 of 36
Life — August 16, 1929 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **General Tire and Rubber Company advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the new "Dual-Balloon 8" tire, marketed as a luxury automotive product. The illustration depicts a wealthy couple in an automobile in what appears to be India or another exotic location (the painting behind shows architectural monuments; the caption references "West Carriers in India"). The fancy car with prominent dual-balloon tires is displayed as a status symbol. The sales pitch emphasizes the tire's superior comfort ("cradle-like effect"), durability (tested to 60,000 miles), and grip ("like a cat's paw"). The tagline "goes a long way to make friends" suggests that owning these quality tires enhances one's social standing. This reflects 1920s-30s consumer culture where tire technology was a genuine innovation and luxury automobiles signified wealth and sophistication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The new General Dual-Balloon "8" delivers its surplus of big mileage with luxurious riding comfort—the cradle-like effect of 4 33%% greater deflation than single balloons are able to stand and without the rebound, ~ ~ More than a balloon—a Dual-Ba}loon—and an "8" too. Advancing beyond all former balloon-tire standards. Not just an 8-ply tire, but an 8-ply base carcass with three rubber cushion plys. ~ ~ A softer but stronger tire—no slips. More non-skid tread on the road and longer lasting. The rubber plys inside the tire . ae DUAL B A L L oO O N ence shown by impact recorder tests. ~ ~ give and let the whole tire grip the road like a cat's paw. The same rubber plys take the road shocks én the tire—an amazing differ- Twenty-thousand, forty thousand, sixty thousand miles —sur passing even the great mileage records of former Generals ~ ~ For the millions who ride on rubber the Dual-Balloon “8° is the epitome of progress—confirming the fact that the longest experience with Top-Quality will always lead the way. Buil: in Akron, Ohio, by The General Tire and Rubber Company. ral Twe and Rubber Co., Akron, O RAL AELOORS ~8oes a long way to make friends